Introduction

One Indian startup raised capital every six hours in 2022! And this was despite the funding winter setting in after the proverbial FOMO of venture capital investors catapulted the local startup ecosystem to the bigger global stage with several dozen unicorns the year before. ​

Despite the challenges, the entrepreneurial revolution in India is here to stay, with startup pitches being showcased on reality shows and a growing community of founders with diverse backgrounds and experiences. However, being an entrepreneur requires more than just creating a product and developing a strategy; founders must also manage finances, HR, marketing, and other aspects of their business.​

To further engage with the founders and provide them a platform for discussion and learning, VCCircle is launching its debut edition of Founders' Forum on 15th June. The half day summit will bring together successful entrepreneurs to share their experiences and discuss new challenges, providing a valuable opportunity for the next generation of startup founders to learn from their peers and seniors.


Agenda

10:00 AM onwards
  • 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM

    Registration & Networking

  • 11:20 AM – 11:30 AM

    Welcome Address

    By Shalil Gupta, Business Head, Mosaic Digital

  • 11:35 AM – 11:50 AM

    Keynote Address: The Path to Unicorn: A Deep Dive of Playbooks

    By Ashwin Moduga, Head-Research, Mosaic Digital

  • 11:50 AM – 12:10 PM

    Fireside chat: Women in leadership, challenges and learnings for the aspiring leaders and workforce in general

    Ashwin Moduga, Head-Research, Mosaic Digital in conversation with Sonali Jindal, Co-founder and COO, Ring/ Kissht

  • 12:10 PM – 12:35 PM

    Panel Discussion: Succession planning & when to let go

    How can founders create the right leadership talent pool to take over the reins in the future, with or without necessarily hanging their boots.

    Speakers:
    Sourjyendu Medda, Founder and Co-CEO, DealShare
    Vaibhav Tewari, Co- Founder and CEO, Portea Medical

    Moderator: Vishal Krishnam, Partner, PWC India

  • 12:35 PM – 1:00 PM

    Panel Discussion: Augmenting Visionary Leadership with Grounded Realism: Evolving CEO-CHRO Partnership

    The responsibilities of modern CHROs are constantly evolving. Today they wear multiple hats: Strategic partner, counsel to the CEO, culture builder, and chief engagement officer. While visionary leadership is often associated with successful CEOs, it is equally vital for them to have a realistic understanding of available resources and capabilities. CHROs can collaborate with CEOs to see how realistically they can help achieve this vision. 

    How can CHROs leverage leadership combined with grounded realism to build a powerhouse of revenue, culture, and people, ultimately leading to sustainable and effective outcomes for the organization?

    Speakers:
    Zeeshan Ramlan, Director & Head HR, CoinSwitch
    Maya John
    , Chief People Officer, VerSe Innovation

    Moderator: Shalil Gupta, Business Head, Mosaic Digital

  • 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

    Lunch Break

  • 2:00 PM – 2:15 PM

    Fireside Chat: Serial Builders: Learnings from Founders Reincarnate

    As the local startup ecosystem matures, we see an ever-growing tribe of serial entrepreneurs, or those who are now on their second or third startup ride. Some of them could be ‘serial-winners’ while others have seen a venture or two get folded. What are the key takeaways from past ventures that helped them in a new startup? What are the pitfalls that one managed to avoid from the real-life experience as a newborn? How was a pivot essential to findig the right calling?

    Speakers:

    Vipul Parekh, Co-Founder, Bigbasket.com 
    Sarth Jain,
    Managing Director, Xponents

    Moderator: Ashwin Moduga, Head-Research, Mosaic Digital

  • 2:15 PM – 2:40 PM

    Panel Discussion: Multi-tasking, stakeholder expectations & work-life balance

    Entrepreneurs juggle with multiple challenges each day. Customer delight is the front-facing task, but founders need to tackle multiple curveballs every day in the backroom. It is equally important for founders to find a balance to maintain their physical and mental health quotient. How do founders achieve the mythical work-life balance amidst the thousand-ton lodestone on their shoulders?

    Speakers:
    Prashant Singh
    , Co-Founder and COO, LeadSquared 
    Rahul Chowdhri, Partner, Stellaris Venture Partners  
    Ankit Agarwal, Co-Founder and CEO, Insurance Dekho
    Akhil Gupta, Founder & Chief Tech & Product officer, NoBroker.com

    Moderator: Shaleen Sinha, Managing Director, BCG India Growth Tech

  • 2:40 PM – 2:55 PM

    Tea Break

  • 2:55 PM – 3:15 PM

    Fireside chat: The Orchestrated Growth Ecosystem - Striking the Right Balance

    Longevity in business creation is taken as a given – nobody sets out to create a company with an expiration date in mind. However, very few companies think critically about the strategic principles needed to endure. That said, in today's dynamic business landscape, understanding the intricate interplay between investors, startups, and founders becomes paramount for sustainable growth and long-term success. So, what are some effective strategies for navigating the complexities of capital flow and mitigating the potential risks associated with excessive investments?  

    Shalil Gupta, Business Head, Mosaic Digital in conversation with Sarth Jain, Managing Director, Xponents

  • 3:15 PM – 3:30 PM

    Fireside Chat: Cofounder equilibrium: How to maintain the delicate balance

    Several startups have seen cofounder conflicts leading to inferior outcomes for the company, investors and other stakeholders. How can founders ensure the delicate balance of their partnership is maintained with division of roles, stake, compensation and more. 

    Priyanka Gulati, Partner Human Capital Consulting, Grant Thornton Bharat in conversation with Harsh Parekh, Co-founder and Whole-time Director, API Holdings Ltd.

  • 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM

    Panel Discussion: Indian Start-ups-Is Funding Winter a Reality or Myth?

    The epic momentum of 2021 slowed down in 2022; from $4.7 billion raised in January 2022 to $1.3 billion in November. The cost of capital has escalated, and investors have become more cautious to deploy capital as they were earlier.

    Is it real? Will it end the dreams of the start-ups?  Will it force start-ups to brace for another 12-18 months before capital flow ease? What are the best practices in a drought?

    Speakers:
    Sanachit Mehra
    , Founder, CTO, Cateina 
    Nitin Jain, Co-founder & CBO, OfBusiness
    Vishal Agarwal, Cofounder, LocoBuzz

    Moderator: Vishal Krishnam, Partner, PWC India

  • 4:00 PM – Onwards

    Closing Remarks


Speakers 2023

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Akhil Gupta

Founder & Chief Tech & Product officer, NoBroker.com
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Ankit Agrawal

Co-Founder and CEO, Insurance Dekho
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Ashwin Moduga

Head - Research, Mosaic Digital
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Harsh Parekh

Co-Founder & Whole-time Director, API Holdings Ltd.
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Maya John

Chief People Officer, VerSe Innovation
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Nitin Jain

Co-founder, CBO at OfBusiness
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Prashant Singh

Co-Founder & COO, LeadSquared
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Priyanka Gulati

Partner Human Capital Consulting, Grant Thornton Bharat
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Rahul Chowdhri

Partner, Stellaris Venture Partners
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Sanachit Mehra

Founder, CTO, Cateina
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Sarth Jain

Managing Director, Xponents
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Shaleen Sinha

Managing Director and Head, BCG India Growth Tech
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Shalil Gupta

CBO, Mosaic Digital
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Sonali Jindal

Co-founder and COO, Ring/ Kissht
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Sourjyendu Medda

Founder & co-CEO, DealShare
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Vaibhav Tewari

Co-founder & CEO, Portea Medical
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Vishal Krishnam

Partner, PWC India
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Vipul Parekh

Co-Founder, Bigbasket.com
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Vishal Agarwal

Cofounder, LocoBuzz
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Zeeshan Ramlan

Director & Head HR, CoinSwitch

Our Sponsors & Partners

Presenting Partner
Session Partner
Real Estate Partner

Want to be part of it?

VCC Events opens up the avenues for participation. Join hands to be a part of India’s largest gathering of alternative investments leaders, industry stakeholders and Asia’s influential limited partners, general partners and marquee advisors. Your chance to actively participate and augment yourself as thought leaders.


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